Hydroejector for deep wells



Sept. 11, 1951 P. FRANCOIS HYDROEJECTOR FOR DEEP WELLS Filed Sept. 19, 1946 Patented Sept. 11, 1951 HYDROEJECTOR FOR DEEP WELLS Pierre Francois, Paris, France, assignor to Socit de Robinetterie S. A. J Paris, France Application September 19, 1946, Serial No. 697,999 In France August 19, 1941 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires August 19, 1961 6 Claims. (Cl. 103-260) My invention deals with a type of hydro-ejector for deep wells and for borings, designed to assist centrifugal pumps, so as to allow them to attain to great suction-lifts.

So far to date, all these hydro-ejectors exhibit the following general type: a body into which the I incoming driving water discharges, with a bypass on the delivery column of the pump; above, the diffusor, and below, the suction strainer or suction foot-valve.

This arrangement, that is usual generally for hydro-ejectors of this kind, shows nevertheless a certain number of drawbacks.

In fact, in regard to the suction strainer, the latter forms the most delicate part of the equipment, since it is the most exposed and is subjected to all the knocks at the time of lowering and setting up the gear in the well; what is more, it is always in the sludge or in the foulest part, and this results in a quick clogging of the strainer, causing a steady lowering in efliciency, and, after a certain period, in the necessity of pulling up the gear for cleaning or for changing the strainer, which means the taking down and setting up again of the equipment; all this cost time and money, at the same time involving a serious holdup.

Moreover, the suction strainer is provided generally with a check-valve, or foot-valve, the efllcient working of which determining the time required for avoiding the unpriming of the plant during a holdup, is an important factor depending on the fouling of the strainer.

As far as the body is concerned, this forms the solid portion of the hydro-ejector, and is always a tricky casting owing to the bent shape of the delivery pipe of the driving water; the mounting of the driving nozzle on the delivery pipe is another cause of trouble, that goes a long way towards an increase in the cost price of the equipment.

Finally, with the idea of preventing the blocking of the nozzle opening, a filter that can be got at easily, is fitted on the delivery of the driving water; as a practical proposition, it is diflicult to put into execution and its efiiciency is a debatable point.

The invention aims at a cure for these drawbacks and, to this end, it introduces various constructional improvements to this kind of hydroejector; and owing to such improvements, the fitting up of the ejector body allows an easy form of casing, resulting in a decrease of cost price, at the same time as a practical set up of the injector nozzle and the fitting of an easily accessible filter of high emciency and simple construction; what is more, especially, is that the fitting of the strainer saves it from taking the knocks and avoids the direct sucking of the sludge, as well as perfecting a practical arrangement of the check-valve.

These improvements, that form the object of the invention, ofier particularly, among other points, the following features:

a. The strainer is set up above the body of the ejector, on a level with the diffuser, around which it is fitted, either completely so, or partly, or again they are arranged simply side by side.

b. The external part of the ejector body. on which the .diffusor is fitted, comprises a recess provided with a port communicating with the inside of the body; this recess, when the diffusor is set up, forms the suction chamber, in which, fixed on the port, is placed the injector nozzle, delivering into the diffuser while suction ports are provided through the base-plate of the diffusor for linking up the suction strainer with the diffuser chamber.

c. The ejector comprises internally a clearance into which opens the delivery of the driving water; this clearance is taken up with a filter through which must pass the water for delivery into the nozzle which latter is independent of the pipe.

(1. The check-valve or foot-valve is directly located between the suction strainer and the suction chamber, controlling the suction ports either from the side of the chamber, or from the side of the suction strainer.

In order to get a clearer understanding of my invention, and as an example of carrying it into effect, a preferred form of execution is disclosed below and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a vertical diametrical plane IIII and Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a horizontal plane III-III.

In these figures l is the difiusor fitted in a water-tight manner by its base-plate I on to the upper outside part of the body 2 of the ejector, 3 is the pipe to which is fitted the delivery channel of the driving water; the lower part of said body 2 does not include any more an intake pipe for water delivery nor a strainer, but only a plug 4 that allows the inspection of the inside of the body 2; said body may then be cast in one piece without any more trouble with the delivery pipe 3 for the nozzle water, that has no longer an exaoc'mas tension formed by the customary elbow at the end of which was fitted in prior art the converging nozzle of the driving water: the body 2 forms a central space 5, into which the pipe 3 opens, and in which is housed a filter 8 of large capacity. This filter 6 is made upforexample, of a cylinder of perforated metal sheet, of which the lower circular edging bears with a watertight joint against the inspection plug 4; and the upper edging bears also with a watertight joint against the upper wall of the inner chamber 5 of the body 2, that includes an opening I to which is fitted by screwing or otherwise, the base-plate of the nozzle 8, that discharges into the difiuser I.

With an arrangement as disclosed, the water delivered through the pipe 3 can only go through the nozzle 8 on its way to the diffuser after having passed through the filter 6; all choking of the nozzle is thus prevented, and the capacity of the filter 6 guarantees a suflicient filtering area without any curtailment of the delivery of water for the nozzle.

As far as the suction chamber is concerned, this is arranged at the upper part of the body 2, and is formed by the space made up by a cavity 0 cast in one iece, with the upper part of the body 2, and through which passes the injector nozzle 8, said cavity being associated with the base-plate I of the diflusor I, fitted at the time by a water tight joint on this upper part of the body 2 above the cavity 9, while ports or suction channels III cut through this base-plate or by other means, allow the water for delivery to be sucked into the chamber 9 thus designed.

The strainer is formed by a sheathing I I of wire gauze or perforated metal sheet, preferably of cylindrical shape, and arranged in the upper portion of the ejector so as to surround only the lateral face of the diffuser I in spaced relationship thereto, the upper and lower ends of which are provided with projections I" and I, respectively, thus forming a filtering or inlet chamber I2, above the body 2, and communicating with the suction cavity 9 through the channels I0.

Finally, I3 is a check-valve formed by a washer, preferably of plastic material, inserted between the body 2 and the difiusor I, inside the suction chamber formed by the cavity 9.

When the driving water flowing out of the nozzle, causes a vacuum in the suction chamber 9, the valve drops and leaves a clear passage for the water sucked through the strainer II in the chamber I2 and the channels Ill, while this valve I3 returns against the seat closing the channels Il, through the effect of the water-pressure during a stoppage of the machine.

Naturally, without any widening of the scope of my invention, improvements, additions or modifications may be introduced thereto, and the substitution of equivalent means may be contemplated for the different parts of the arrangement.

What I claim is:

1. In a fluid ejector for use in oil wells and the like, in combination, a generally vertically disposed nozzle, into which a lifting fluid is let in under pressure; a member arranged concentrically around said nozzle and defining therewith a suction cavity; a diffuser pipe being disposed generally above said nozzle and having a bottom opening arranged in circular and spaced relationship to the output opening of said nozzle; a substantially cylindrical strainer member arranged in the upper portion of the ejector and surrounding only the lateral face of said difiuser pipe in spaced relationship thereto, so as to define an inlet chamber for the liquid to be lifted, said inlet chamber being arranged intermediately between said strainer member and said diffuser pipe and surrounding the same; and duct means for connecting said inlet chamber and said suction cavity.

2. In a fluid ejector for use in oil wells and the like, in combination, a generally vertically disposed nozzle, into which a lifting fiuid is let in under pressure; a member arranged concentrically around said nozzle and defining therewith a suction cavity; a diffuser pipe being disposed generally above saidnozzle and having a bottom opening arranged in circular and spaced relationship to the output opening of said nozzle; a substantially cylindrical strainer member arranged in the upper portion of the ejector and surrounding only the lateral face of said diffuser pipe in spaced relationship thereto, so as to define an inlet chamber for the liquid to be lifted, said inlet chamber being arranged intermediately between said strainer member and said diffuser pipe and surrounding the same; duct means for connecti said inlet chamber and said suction cavity; and self-adjusting valve means opening downwardly when the lifting fluid flows. but sealing said duct means as soon as the lifting fluid stops flowing.

3. In a fluid ejector for use in oil wells and the like, in combination, a generally vertically disposed nozzle, into which a lifting fluid is let in under pressure; a member arranged concentrically around said nozzle and defining therewith a suction cavity; a diffuser pipe being disposed generally above said nozzle and having a bottom opening arranged in circular and spaced relationship to the output opening of said nozzle; vertically spaced exterior projecting portions formed at the upper and lower ends of said difluser pipe; a substantially cylindrical strainer member arranged in the upper portion of the ejector and fastened to said projecting portions so as to surround substantially the entire length of said diffuser pipe in spaced relationship thereto so as to define an inlet chamber for the liquid to be lifted, said inlet chamber being formed by said projecting portions, said strainer member. and said diffuser pipe, said lower projecting portion constituting the top wall of said suction cavity; and duct means passing through said lower projecting portion constituting the common wall of said inlet chamber and said suction cavity.

4. In a fluid ejector for use in oil wells and the like, in combination, a generally vertically disposed nozzle, into which a lifting fluid is let in under pressure; a member arranged concentrically around said nozzle and defining therewith a suction cavity; a diffuser pipe being disposed generally abovesaid nozzle and having a bottom opening arranged in circular and spaced relationship to the output opening of said nozzle; vertically spaced exterior projecting portions formed at the upper and lower ends of said diffuser pipe; a substantially cylindrical strainer member arranged in the upper portion of the ejector and fastened to said projecting portions so as to surround substantially the entire length of said difluser pipe in spaced relationship thereto so as to define an inlet chamber for the liquid to be lifted, said inlet chamber being formed by said projecting portions, said strainer member, and said diffuser pipe, said lower projecting portion constituting the top wall of said suction cavity; duct means passing through said lower projecting portion constituting the common wall of said inlet chamber and said suction cavity; and self-adjusting valve means opening downwardly when the lifting fluid flows, but sealing said duct means as soon as the lifting fluid stops flowing.

5. In a fluid ejector for use in oil wells and the like, in combination, a generally vertically disposed nozzle, into which a lifting fluid is let in under pressure; a member arranged concentrically around said nozzle and defining therewith a suction cavity; a diffuser pipe being disposed generally above said nozzle and having a bottom opening arranged in circular and spaced relationship to the output opening of said nozzle; a lower member having a threaded portion for screwing said nozzle into the same; an upper member including said diffuser pipe and vertically spaced exterior projecting portions formed at the upper and lower ends of said diffuser pipe; a. fluid-tight connection between the lower surface of said upper member and the upper surface of said lower member; a substantially cylindrical strainer member arranged in the upper portion of the ejector and fastened to said projecting portions so as to surround substantially the entire length of the diffuser pipe; an inlet chamber for the liquid to be lifted formed by said projecting portions, said strainer member and the diffuser pipe, said lower projecting portion constituting the top wall of the suction cavity; and duct means passing through said lower projecting portion constituting the common wall of said inlet chamber and the suction cavity.

6. In a fluid ejector for use in oil wells and the like, in combination, a generally vertically disposed nozzle, into which a lifting fluid is let in under pressure; a member arranged concentrically around said nozzle and defining therewith a suction cavity; a diffuser pipe being disposed generally above said nozzle and having a bottom opening arranged in circular and spaced relationship to the output opening of said nozzle; a lower member having a threaded portion for screwing said nozzle into the same; an upper member including said diffuser pipe and vertically spaced exterior projecting portions formed at the upper and lower ends of said diffuser pipe; a fluid-tight connection between the lower surface of said upper member and the upper surface of said lower member; a substantially cylindrical strainer member arranged in the upper portion of the ejector and fastened to said projecting portions so as to surround substantially the entire length of the diffuser pipe; an inlet chamber for the liquid to be lifted formed by said projecting portions, said strainer member and the diffuser pipe, said lower projecting portion cons'tituting the top wall of the suction cavity; duct means passing through said lower projecting portion constituting the common wall of said inlet chamber and the suction cavity; and self-adjusting valve means opening downwardly when the lifting fluid flows, but sealing said duct means as soon as the lifting fluid stops flowing.

PIERRE FRANCOIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 265,246 Conord Oct. 3, 1882 440,803 Fulton Nov. 18, 1890 709,662 Bruzek Sept. 23, 1902 1,779,483 McMahon Oct. 28, 1930 1,801,520 McMahon Apr. 21, 1931 1,992,436 McMahon Feb. 26, 1935 2,101,833 Bates Dec. 14, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 423,656 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1935 

